Washington (CNN) - The suspect in the shooting at the Family Research Council walked into the headquarters of the conservative group armed with a 9 mm pistol and shot a security guard after telling him, "I don't like your politics," authorities said in a criminal complaint filed Thursday.

The complaint accuses Floyd Lee Corkins II, 28, of a federal firearms violation and assault with intent to kill.

(CNN) – President Barack Obama made the brief drive to the headquarters of the Democratic National Committee in Washington Thursday to thank staff members there for their work on his re-election effort.

Obama – who has no campaign events scheduled for Thursday – just finished a three-day swing through Iowa, where he hammered his Republican opponent Mitt Romney for everything from his stance on wind energy to his position on Medicare.FULL POST

(CNN) – The group charged with electing Democrats to the House of Representatives released their first ad hitting a Republican for supporting Paul Ryan's budget plan Thursday, less than a week after the House Budget chairman was named as Mitt Romney's running mate.

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee released the spot hitting Rep. Dan Benishek, R-Michigan, as their first independent expenditure ad of the 2012 cycle.FULL POST

Editor's note: The 2012 presidential race is CNN Chief National Correspondent John King's seventh campaign. King is traveling through battleground states, where the election will be decided, to find the voters who will determine whether President Barack Obama gets a second term or if the country needs the change in direction that Mitt Romney represents.

Des Moines, Iowa (CNN) - A visit to the Iowa State Fair is a test of diet discipline: They fry just about everything - from Oreos to butter to mac & cheese - and the bigger the better, from half-pound tenderloins to massive turkey legs and pork chops.

Not much changes from year to year. There's the butter cow, nightly entertainment at the grandstand, arcade games and amusement rides.

(CNN) – A few of the "could have been" running mates for presumptive GOP nominee Mitt Romney were added to the list of speakers for this month's Republican National Convention Thursday, including Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, Sen. Rob Portman of Ohio, Sen. Kelly Ayotte of New Hampshire and Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell.

All four names were considered potential vice presidential picks for Romney, who on Saturday announced House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan of Wisconsin as his running mate. Jindal campaigns for Romney Thursday in Virginia.FULL POST

(CNN) - After a jam-packed three days on the campaign trail, President Obama and Vice President Biden are back in Washington and Mitt Romney is holding fund-raisers. Paul Ryan, Romney's running mate, holds campaign events in Ohio and Virginia.

CNN: Obama, Booker defend Biden 'chains' remarks
President Obama and Newark Mayor Cory Booker defended a controversial remark made by Joe Biden on Tuesday, affirming their support of the vice president in interviews Wednesday and urging the remarks to be taken in context. Obama told People Magazine that Biden's remarks meant "you, consumers, the American people, will be a lot worse off if we repeal these (Wall Street reform) laws, as the other side is suggesting."